Mt. Fuji

For this tranquil scene, Osanobu depicted the quintessential peak of Mount Fuji using soft brushwork, dilute ink washes, and sparse touches of color. A narrow pass between rounded hills at the lower left suggests that the location may be Utsunomiya Pass, near Okabe. In the Edo period Okabe was a post town on the Tokaido Road, the main route leading from Edo (modern Tokyo) to Kyoto. The painting includes a small structure on the far side of the pass, possibly a teahouse where travelers paused to purchase refreshments. Red foliage indicates the autumn season, and clouds of mist shroud the base of the mountain.